The Wild Hunt
by Eryessa
Summary: In our world, Myth has come to Reality, the Veil is thin and with creatures coming in contact with humans, it's a wonder a war hasn't started yet. Now I have 3 nights to find a Hound, or I will be in the grasp of an Unseelie Prince. But someone is trying to fight my injustice for me, even if I don't want him to. Warning: Pagan topics in here. Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

There were things in life that were taking a toll on the earth. Remember the 12-21-2012 thing, well what happened was that the veil between our world and the next opened, which caused a lot of stuff to go down. Dragons in Europe, flooding in Mexico by the Aztecs. The Big Eight of the Greek Pantheon came down from Olympus to solidify their reign over Greece again. Thor was roaming around for arrant Frost Giants that have found a way into our world. The Egyptians claimed Egypt for their rulership again. You know, myth into reality type of thing.

Me, who am I? I am just a pagan that works for the WWE. Yeah, I'm a necessety now that the world of myth have become real. It also doesn't help that within in the WWE there are creatures of myth that have rooted out a living there. Justin Gabriel was really a werewolf. The Undertaker was a Necromancer, meaning he deals with magic of the dead. Me, I'm just a pagan, a so called wannabe witch. No, I wasn't a real witch, I preferred to stay away from magic and just worship my gods. But I was soon going to learn that that was going to be easier said than done, when the Gods came to me with tasks.

It started when the WWE came to Europe. Risking a dragon attack, I'm sure, but they relied on Justin Gabriel's connections with the werewolf community to keep them safe. What happened that caused me to reconsider working for the WWE was an Unseelie visit. I am not one of those people that think fairies are little Tinkerbell pixies, while some are true. No, most are trooping feys, as I like to call them. In Scotland a lot of the feys are divided into Courts, Unseelie are the darker aspect of the feys and Seelie are benign to humans. This dude was Unseelie.

I could see it, when he appeared in front of me. I could see it in his eyes. I'm surprised he even survived, the fey are weak against man made iron, they hated it. It was poison to them. This bloke was huge, taller than Big Show by at least a few inches. At first I thought he was a troll but this fey possessed a beauty that rivaled even that of Randy Orton. Everyone scattered, well most everyone. I saw that the Fey visibly shrank away from Sheamus. But his gaze was turned towards me.

"You..." Between his anger and iron sickness, he couldn't finish that sentence. Though the tone was enough to chill ice to say the least.

"Yeah me, what of it?" I asked, crossing my arms. "What do you call you?"

"Pathetic, you don't know Prince Abastor?"

"I'm a pathetic human, I wouldn't know who is king, queen or page of any kingdom. There is also the fact that I'm an American. European politics eludes me, sweetie."

"I'm looking for a Child of the Moon, I've been told you are one."

"Okay, so you found me." I nodded, arms still crossed. "Give me a reason why you are looking for me."

"I have lost something. Something that is mine. And you're going to get it. Or else."

"Are you going to Pixie Lead me or something?" I asked. "Pixie Shot, those arrows of your fellow clansmen are deadly."

"You doubt I can't kill you?"

I moved my hand over a charm around my neck. "No but I know what can kill you. You can't make threats to me, not in a place of iron. You're weak, I can tell. Also you, you're afraid of an Irishman, not someone from your own area, Scotland if I'm not mistaken. So tell me, great Prince." I gave an exagerated bow. "What is it that you need a human, let alone one that isn't an actual witch, to do for your gracious highness?"

In this day an age, it seemed as though the iron was just a minor reprieve from the fey, good or bad, mainly the bad. I found this fact fading quickly. The only thing is holy ground, they won't go to those places. Except in Ireland.

"Call on your Goddess. She has what I want."

"You want me to call on a war goddess, in a place where you're weak. I don't know if you're weak of body or of mind. Has the iron rotted your brain, Prince Abastor?"

"Just call her, you pathetic worm."

"She doesn't have to call. I'm already here." A woman said, a voice that was deadly sounding.

I wanted to think that Morrigan was a goddess that didn't give a damn, and many would see that now as she stood next to Seth Rollins, standing his height as she came out from the darkness of the stands. She was stunning, beautifully stunning, a beauty that no human could hold. She was a take no shit kind of goddess. One I am happy to say that still stands next to me, who chose to stand with me.

"Morrigan." I bowed my head to her, having this been the first meeting with her I ever had in real life.

She regarded me briefly, turning to look at the fey in front of me. "Tell me what I have that you want, fey Prince. I am not a patient woman." Her demand was deadly, I could almost hear it to the bone.

Sheamus stepped away, backing away from a fight. This was for a warrior goddess. This was Morrigan's domain. All the superstars, minus Seth Rollins, got as far back from the area as possible. Seth walked towards me, from behind me. He saw the sheathed dagger on her hip, one that could gut someone without much trouble.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't cut you now." She said, hand resting awfully close to the dagger.

"You took that dagger from me."

"This thing is yours?" She curled her lips into a sneer. "Well, I won it in a fair jest."

"Fair jest, you tricked me! My kingdom don't hold a crown, we hold a dagger to show our power. I want it back."

"I won it in a fair deal." She replied, looking over the slightly blue skinned, and black eyed thing in front of us. "But we can make a deal now as you called on one of my children."

"What sort of deal?" Abastor asked, tilting his head.

"Find a Hound and ride it in the Hunt."

The Hunt was a common night time thing, often referred to as a Night Hunt, instead of The Wild Hunt. Cernunnos' reign wasn't now, a Shadow King led an army to claim the souls of the dead, to deliver them to the Otherworld. Spectral Hounds were favored as compatriots to these riders, they sought out the dead so that the riders, the Hunt could take them.

"So I..." Abastor began.

"No, the both of you. I am a death goddess already, it would be unfair to you, Fey Prince, if you went against me. And since you sought out my child, she will do the hunting for me."

"With no help from you."

"I'll help her." Rollins said from behind me. The only stupid man that didn't step away from this in the first place. "If that's okay."

"A woman is much weaker than a man." Abastor said, looking at the both of us. "Then it is a deal. If she is able to wrestle a Hound then you keep the dagger."

"And if she looses?" Morrigan prodded, her voice dropping along with her good mood.

"I want the dagger back. And her." He pointed to me, eyes scanning me as he did so.

Oh well that's just charming, I thought looking at my Goddess and then at Abastor. I wanted to say no, but to go against Morrigan was a fate worse than death. She cursed Cuchulain, what could she do to me that was worse than that? Death. Not being able to cross over?

"Her and her consort will do this." Morrigan turned her gaze from Abastor to Seth. "Colby Lopez will aid Amaris McIntyre in this quest. It is a deal. In three nights, if you are successful in three nights, you are granted your dagger back, with my child."

WIth a dreadful sneer, that Unseelie Court prince sort of disappeared out of sight. I'm sure he was more than happy to do that. This left a Celtic War Goddess, a wrestler and I to stand next to each other.

"Are you man-stupid or something?" I all but barked at Seth, I mean Colby. "What made you think you can even survive a trip out to the Moors, let alone try to help me?"

"Hey, someone has to help. I figured since I have the fight, then you must have the brains if you know where to look for this Hound."

"Taming a Hound is not any easy feat, Mortal." Morrigan said, fixing a stern look on Colby. "Only those that understand and know what to do can maybe do it."

"And she can?" Colby asked, motioning to me.

"She's a devout pagan, she knows the tales, she understands what are at stake. I have confidence in her. Now you...not so much for a man that seems more interested in her than with the task at hand."

As blunt as Morrigan can get, she was known to not lie about anything. Was what she said true, Colby actually liked me?

"It's better me than that creepy dude. I mean come on, I don't see her in a royal court."

"Thanks." I turned to look at Colby. "That means a lot."

"Not a dark court like his, that's what I meant." He raised his hands. "So, how do we go about finding a Hound?"

"To the Moors. At least Sir Conan Doyle wasn't all that wrong about Black Dogs, The Hound of the Baskervilles was based off the legends of spectral hounds of English myth. And don't you have WWE business to tend to? Don't want to see you fired for helping out a witch."

"I thought you were a pagan." He smirked.

"I don't know who is more troubled, the fey prince or you." Morrigan said before twisting into a different, a raven who flew out of the arena with grace only she could handle.

"Did she just insult me?" Colby asked.

"I don't know." I said shrugging. "I have to go."

"Well, wherever you go, I'm going."

This was going to be a long and drawn out ordeal.

"No." I stopped him. "You stay, Wolf. You stay. Your life is worth more than mine. I am not going to let you risk your life for something as meaningless as this. Stay." I put my hand on his chest, regretting it almost instantly.

I could feel how he felt under my hand, I felt his power as a man and yet...I couldn't bring myself to let him risk his life for me.

"Too damn bad," he said spinning me around and placing a hand on my back and pushed me towards the back. "We're going to figure out what and where tonight, then after the show we're heading out."

"You have the SmackDown taping tomorrow, Genius." I responded.

"Well, we've got three nights." I groaned at him. "Come on, you can do the research and I'll be the muscle."

"You stupid, you man stupid, man." I said turning to look at him. "You have no damn clue what is at stake here, do you? My life, my life if I don't get killed by a spectral dog then I am in the service to an Unseelie Prince. I'm as good as a sex slave to him. My position will be on my back in his regard."

"Then we're not going to loose this." He said, lowering his face down toward mine to the point of being almost nose to nose with each other. "We're going to get justice for you."


	2. Chapter 2

Jon Good was sitting near me as I scowered the recently updated Akashic Records, something that was now placed in electronics. I was a subscriber, which allowed me to figure out what was going on with the Hounds out in Europe. A lot of pagans were trying to get a hold of the magic that the real witches have been able to do for years, thousands of years. Colby was getting ready in the shower for their match that night and Joe Anoa'i was out somewhere.

"What do Hounds look like?" Jon asked.

"Big black dogs, some are the size of horses with red eyes. But don't let their devilish looks scare you, they are mainly used for rounding up the dead that travel the night. Several Hunts are known of but the main was is The Wild Hunt is led by Cernunnos of Celtic origin. There are several over in America, mainly fey rulers and often known as Unseelie. They deal with death exclusively. Nothing is ever all evil or all good. Even Morrigan has a dark side."

"Why is that dagger so important to that asshole?"

"Courts are held differently than humans. Some have family heirlooms that denounce their ancestory, like swords or daggers, not crowns or tiaras." I said.

"That's strange, stupid I think."

"That's funny because to them, we humans are stupid, strange even. Humans are so far disconnected from what life was like before man decided to rule the world, driving out all others." I said clicking on something that caught my attention. "Well, I have a few calls to make."

"Find something?" Colby asked coming out of the shower wearing his Shield uniform. "Shower is all yours, Jon."

"I found a werewolf that may help me. His pack hunts with Hounds but it's hoping that he'll let me come around that will be a problem." I said scribbling down a number on a piece of paper.

"Don't you mean us, Babygirl?"

Jon looked between Colby and I as we stared at each other. I think Jon was amused by this. The WWE was allowing Colby to do this, which was a shock considering his standing with The Shield. But what was his true reason behind all of this.

It was all that Unseelie prince's fault. He was the one that was crying about loosing a dagger.

"Stay here during the show. I don't want you wandering off on your own." Colby said later on, as the three men were preparing to get flown in for a live Raw show in London. "Then we will go find that werewolf later tonight."

By this point everyone knew what was going on with Colby and the witch, that would be me. Why was Colby going out on a limb to help me? To serve justice for being put in a task like this, like Heracles did. The Nemean Lion, that's what it was like. Yet even though I was not a Greek, my Irish and German heritage was strong in me, in my blood and beliefs. I was a pagan, I was solitary and I didn't work magic like everyone thought I did. Now I was going into a task with a wrestler at my side and I had no way of protecting myself, ourselves as Colby liked to point out.

I hated the veil, I mean I could feel it but then again I can feel when something or someone was coming to me. In that room, I was well aware of someone approaching. I watched as a man stepped into the room, not through a door but out of thin air. He had red hair, think a viking version of Sheamus, but less pale. Thor, and I'm not talking about the Marvel Comic super hero. Thor was a warrior, pure and simple. I stood up in respect for the Norse god, Odin being the main God that I worshipped in cordination with Morrigan, for some odd reason they just worked well together. Thor, he and I never really got each other, we were different as Morrigan and Odin were different. Thor was willing to fight anything, me I was a passive kind of person, searching for a reason.

"I have heard of your plight, Pagan." He said reaching for his belt. "I want to give you a weapon for your journey."

He held out two objects, a sword and a pendant. I reached for the pendant, because it was a Mjolnir, Thor's Hammer. I've always wanted one. I couldn't kill the Hound, I needed it to stay alive so the real sword was out of question.

"Your choice is magical, then?" He asked as I slipped the necklace on.

"I don't know how to fight, Thor. I am more adept in knowing something, understanding how it works than just killing it. Besides, I don't know how to fight with a sword, and I can't kill the Hound, I need to harness it for the Hunt. Colby Lopez would have better use of the sword than I would."

"Then I will leave this with your consort."

Consort, that's what Colby was called. He was really starting to get on my nerves, the Man Stupid that he was.

"Where is he?" Thor asked looking around the room.

I pointed to the television, where the three men were in a match against Team Hell No and The Undertaker. "He's out there right now. They should be done soon, but we're planning on leaving after the show."

"Then I'll just wait here for him." He stood in front of the television to watch the match. "I don't understand how the mortals like this kind of fighting. There are no weapons involved."

"There are." I came to stand next to the seven plus foot tall redhead Norse god. "Just not swords or daggers, axes or any of that. This company wants to keep their wrestlers in top shape, even though it is sort of preplanned there are a lot of risks they have to go through to make people happy. Some even put on fake personas to get a good or bad reaction from the fans. The Shield, with Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Colby's Seth Rollins, are the bad guys, but I kind of like them, for whatever reason."

Thor's beard twitched. I swear I couldn't look at him and not think Viking Sheamus for some unknown reason.

"Well, they seem capable. Though this Seth Rollins, he's caught the attention of Set."

"Since when did the Egyptians get interested in wrestling?" I knew little about the Egyptian pantheon, though I knew them because I was a pagan and learning the deities were enough to know them. It's just, the Egyptians didn't really care for humans now as they had in the past.

"Since Seth Rollins came into the picture. This Shield business is interesting to Sutek. They bring chaos to this show, and you know how much Sutek likes chaos."

"As much as he likes sandstorms I'm sure."

There was a pause in the room as we continued watching the match. I think Thor was liking this whole Shield thing that the WWE had going on. I think he preferred Dean Ambrose, his demented pleasure in fighting, I think that's what drew the Norse god's attention. So not only did Colby have a fan in Set but Thor was a fan of Jon.

"I think it has something to do with his name and the werewolf myth Set created, with the help of the Salawa." I said suddenly as the camera panned on the group as they stood victorious over Team Hell No and The Undertaker.

"Possibly, Pagan. I don't know but there is something about that man you call Dean Ambrose that I like."

"His real name is Jon Good. He's...interesting but I don't know him personally, not by much."

It was kind of funny. As I was packing for my little interview with the werewolf, since the show was over, I watched The Shield walk into the room where Thor and I were. All three stopped dead in their tracks as Thor turned to sweep a look at them. Actually it was really funny as Thor offered a human handshake at only Jon.

"Thor's my name. Dean Ambrose I'm told." He said.

"Jon Good when not in front of the cameras." I added. "Are you going to give the Wolf the sword, Thor, or are we going to intimidate the talent?"

"Ah yes. The one Set has been interested in. Kind of funny that you two will be questioning a werewolf together." Thor dropped the sword in Colby's hands. "Best Norse crafted sword, the dwarves are capable of crafting such things."

"Man-Stupid isn't adversed in culture and myth, Thor. I would say that his sights lay elsewhere. If you're coming, grab your crap, Colby, then I'll be waiting outside for you. Come or go as you please, Thor. Though you would get a better conversation out of Sheamus. He and you look like Irish and Norse cousins, and he loves to fight."

"A human mortal after my own heart. I'll do just that. Where will I find him?" Thor asked.

"Men's locker room, down that way." I pointed as I moved between Colby and Jon.

I didn't hear what happened with Sheamus or Thor. I was going to learn about that later on.


	3. Chapter 3

Finding a man that was an Alpha werewolf wasn't that easy, especially when I had to accomidate Colby Lopez into the whole ordeal. As my consort he had to protect me and watching the man carry a sword around was something a little unexpected. The rental car zoomed down the road in London, towards the outskirts where the Pack was located, at least the Alpha.

"What did that guy mean by 'the one Set is interested in'?" Colby asked after about twenty minutes of driving in silence.

"Set or Sutek is the Egyptian god of chaos. As for why he's interested in you, I can only assume it has something to do with the name Seth, another name he's called. I think it has something to do with Rollins, that's why I keep calling you Wolf. Rollins means son of Rolf, Rolf meaning wolf. You have a look about you, you kind of look like a werewolf to me."

He smiled. "Don't plan on becoming one soon, Babygirl."

Another awkward silence followed as the car continued on down the road.

"I think it will try to kill me, the Hound I mean."

I glanced at him as I turned off the main roadway and onto a back road heading further out of the city. "What makes you think it won't try to kill me as well?"

"Well I'm just assuming since you're a witch and all."

"Let's make something straight, Seth." I was tightening my grip on the steering wheel. "I am a simple pagan. In this time and era, witches have the powers. I'm as simple as a wiccan, someone who worships the gods and practice earth loving spells, but I'm not so much on the spell part. Understanding I know...I understand where they come from. I have no powers, aside from writing several books of fantasy on the subject. I'm a scribe, I guess. I honor the gods and that's all I can do at the moment."

"You don't worship Thor?"

"I'm eclectic." I shrugged simply. "I have this odd bond with his father Odin. I seek out metaphysical knowledge, I have to understand everything there is to anything. Celtic, Egyptian, Norse and some Vodoun I know and understand. Do I live by the Wiccan Rede, harm none and do what thou wilt, not really. I do believe in retaliation to a point." I said glancing at the iPhone I had in the cup holder. We were close. "When we get to the farm, I want you to be respectful. From what I know of Weres, and their counterparts of shape shifters, they want respect like the rest of the earth."

I was looking for James Atwood, the Alpha of the London Pack. Werewolves were generally larger than normal wolves, and since wolves were extinct in England, well, werewolves made up the population. Hounds were thought to have been their ancestors, that's why Hounds and werewolves got along, but in reality Egyptian werewolves were the oldest of the bunch, having been created by Set and Wepwawet. European werewolves were from Norse creations, from Odin. Berserkers, a form of bear shapeshifters, were created around the same time.

Parking in the driveway of this nice house in the middle of the woods, I gingerly got out. Colby opened the door to his side of the car but it was shoved shut by two large paws. This large wolf, larger than any I had seen at least in America, had the door pinned shut, black as night but two white paws. Just as his image was from the Akashic records.

"Mr. Atwood, I presume." I said looking over the top of the car. "I'm Amaris, the witch with an Unseelie problem."

Large yellow eyes looked at me, after staring a hole through Colby's head. Slowly he turned, I mean he changed from gigantic wolf to a man with black hair. He was charming to look at, kind of like Wade Barrett without the bent nose, though there were evidence of scars around his chest. As he walked around the car towards me I saw him wearing an animal skin pants, which gave Weres and shape shifters the ability to turn into their animal forms without ripping during the change.

"Since when do humans get involved with fey business?" The now man asked.

"Since he's had a beef with Morrigan, one of two deities that I worship, the other being Odin." I said, knowing that my connection with Odin was a given amongst that the Pack would help me. "I have been pulled into something. Prince Abastor has issued a challenge. If he wins, he gets his family's dagger back from Morrigan and me."

"You? What do you have that he wants?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Man-Stupid over there is supposed to protect me. Thor brought him a dwarf crafted sword to use. I have a feeling Abastor is going to play dirty. It's best if I have a little backup. He agreed to having Seth Rollins accompany me."

"He doesn't smell like a wolf."

"No, but he's apart of the Hounds of Justice, The Shield in the WWE. He's a mortal, like me, who wrestles."

"I see. You chose magic over might." Atwood indicated to my new Thor's Hammer pendant around my neck. "My Pack has dealings with Hounds." He glanced at Colby who was walking up behind me, sizing up the competition. "Though they have moved on since the Purge."

Damn the Purge.

While trying to rule over the Ancient Ones, Gods, feys and the like, The Vatican had nearly wiped out Hounds and others in various areas. Though The Olympians made it very clear that the Ancients were coming back into power and that the Christian God allowed it, well, it was a blow for even them. It's kind of ironic, the Church trying to stamp out everything ancient while learning that for once it wasn't just Christianity out there. But still, in some places the Vatican Warriors had decimated various species of beings, I'm surprised that the werewolf population wasn't completely wiped out around here.

"You have ancient in you, you know." Atwood said as we walked around towards the back of the house.

"I'm mortal, I assure you." I responded, glancing back at Colby who held hilt and sheath of the sword as if he was going to use it soon. "Don't know much about Man-Stupid here, aside from the fact that everyone keeps calling him my consort."

"He's protective of you, as any mate would be of his lover."

"I assure you, we're not together romantically."

"Well, after this, I plan on taking you out, Babygirl." Colby spoke up for the first time since getting to the Pack's property.

"Great, just what I didn't want to hear."

"Why? I figured you would like it."

"Never really had anyone interested in me. Once they find out my title as pagan, they sort of split on me."

"Well, I don't know you but I'm sticking with you." He said, giving me a smile when I looked back at him.

The sight of wolves, varying in sizes, in one area startled me. Colby made a sound like a wimper or something of the fact as Atwood nodded to everyone in attendance. "Tonight, we find a Hound. This pagan is tasked, her and her consort have been tasked to help the Goddess Morrigan find a Hound. Time is important. Go."

And like that, the twenty or so wolves disappeared into the night. Silent, deadly and sure footed. I just hoped we wouldn't spend the next two nights, three if we were lucky. Colby needed to be at the next venue for tomorrow's SmackDown event.

"We haven't found one in a month though. Usually they hunt with us, albeit they find the lost dead but still. I called in a favor for you." Atwood said looking upwards.

Up in the sky a host was. Horses with riders, hounds, they all were dark as night but fey just the same. Yet, from my guessing, it was something different. The lead rider, a male of course, as he came to land on the ground with his horse, was wearing something akin to Cernunnos or Herne's horned appearance. The head of a stag and the body of a man, that's some of the images that they bring up. There were five in the host, all fey and all otherworldy beautiful. The horses winnied and scratched at the earth beneath their hooves, as if they weren't used to it maybe.

"Dark Riders, welcome." Atwood said.

This was the Hunt, not the Wild Hunt that occurs from Samhain to Spring, but it was a minor representation until the Wild Hunt and all the Hosts merge together.

"This is what we have to ride in." Colby said staring at the four Hounds that were apart of the Host.

"I will, yes."

"I am not leaving you alone. Not now, not ever." Colby said coming to stand next to me.

"This is Lord Lorlin, of the Northern Realm." Atwood said as the main antlered rider dismounted. "He's the lead Dark Rider in this Hunt."

"Help me, don't piss them off." I whispered to Colby.

"You're not hunting tonight, old friend." Lorlin said walking up to Atwood.

"We're hunting for a wild Hound. A bet has been placed between Morrigan and Prince Abastor of the Unseelie court of Scotland. This is the pagan and her consort." Atwood motioned to us.

What is with the consort crap all of a sudden?

"Hi." Colby said

"Hello." Lorlin said, looking him over. "So you both are looking for a Hound?"

"Much like the ones in your Hunt." I responded.

"They have traveled north, most of them. There are a few here but more elusive. And they don't take to humans well."

"Humans, or do you mean mortals like us?" I asked, motioning between Colby and me.

"That, too. Unfortunately we have to get back to the Hunt, we cannot aid you tonight, Pagan. There is no time to dawdle, Riders. There is more death on the air." He glanced back at the Riders on their horses with the braying of the Hounds they were with.

I nodded as the Hunt mounted their steeds. Watching them take flight was the most amazing thing to do. It was like something from that Nightmare Before Christmas thing. Colby was diligently watching the group as they flew off into the sky. If we couldn't find any Hounds out here tonight, might as well move on.

"Thank you for the help on looking. I think we'll have a better chance moving north. He has work to do, so do I and two more nights to do it in." I told the Alpha.

"What about the Prince?" Colby asked.

"He probably has his own troop doing his business. Not to speak ill of the fey, last I heard, Hounds and fey magic don't get along with each other." The Alpha said. "But we'll keep an eye out for you."

We said our goodbyes and headed back to the car.

"Okay, Man-Stupid, what is it tonight that feels off?" I said as we were standing in front of the rental. "Something doesn't feel right."

"It should." I heard that damned voice again, the one belonging to Prince Abastor. Of course he would be spying on us, he was a fey and a fey of nature it would seem. "Considering you've got help."

He stayed at the roadside, near where the car was parked. I don't know why he couldn't just walk onto the property, but considering that Atwood was on our side of things, Abastor was probably afraid to get shreddded to pieces so far from the court.

"Don't you have enough Hounds in Scotland to be coming down here to bother us?" I asked as Colby started pulling the steel sword out of it's sheath.

Atwood was standing near the house, arms crossed, waiting for the fey to enter his property. Abastor had decided to step back, a little further into the road.

"I know you have help. It doesn't seem fair on my end does it?"

"We're mortals, weaklings, we need all the help we can get. After tomorrow night, we're on a time crunch to finish this. You have all the advantage on your side. So we asked around if someone knew where the Hounds would be. You could have won the bet now but you haven't."

"Don't question me, human. I will have my family's dagger and you by the three night mark." He looked me over, smiling slightly.

"You're not really a threat on your own." Colby told the Prince. "You talk all high and mighty but you don't act upon it. Why don't you just kill her now and see how far you get." He pulled the sword from it's sheath. "I bet the Norse don't fool around with these things."

He stepped further back, Abastor knew that Colby wasn't playing. "The aim is to ride a Hound, not to kill it. Are you stupid or something?"

I smirked. "Only I can call him stupid. But apparently not as stupid as you were to bet your family's royal dagger to The Morrigan in the first place."

The fey growled, showing off some pointed teeth that I hadn't notice on him before, then he disappeared from sight, shimmered like air rippling in a hot desert. This to me was indicative of his magic, fire. I knew that if I toyed with him much harder then I will going get burned and bring Colby into the middle of it.

I didn't want to do that.


	4. Chapter 4

I had been using the Akashic Networking site, it was kind of like a site for the Other Kin, the feys and other humanoid creatures like that. In this day and age of technology it was our version of Facebook and Twitter. Finding out about the Akashic Records and the Akashic Netword intrigued Colby. I mean now that he was involved in this world, the world I tried to keep hidden from my coworkers, news about the mortal pagan and her mortal consort looking for a Hound because of the bet between Abastor and The Morrigan, it was all a little too much for my liking. Seth Rollins was fighting justice in the Otherworld society, but was he mad, stupid or just plain insane for doing this for a woman he didn't know at all?

"So, where are you looking tonight?" Jon asked as I was scanning my phone while carrying my things from the arena.

It was the second night of the search, and it was after the SmackDown taping. The three Shield members were heading out to a rental they shared, I was heading ou to the one that I had, which wasn't far from theirs.

"Twenty miles from here, north. Since the three of you don't have anything for tomorrow, I figured Colby and I could go at it tonight while you two head to the next show." I said as I opened the boot of the rental for their things. "Could you take Colby's and my stuff with you? We'll meet you there."

"Why at night?" Joe asked as he hefted his stuff in there.

"Hounds only come out at night. The fey use them to hunt for the souls that have died in the night, but only those with special skill to harness the Hounds are able to do so." I said as Jon put his things in the rental. "The Seelie, those of the light and descendants of the Tuatha De Dannan, don't. But still, it's only the most skilled that can harness a Hound, fey or not."

"Harness them, with what? Do they have a saddle?" Jon cracked at me.

"No, that's for the steeds, the horses that the Hunt rides on. It's more like bonding of the souls. They are not pets, they are weapons. Colby is bound to the sword because it was a gift from the gods, but earning the bond of the Hound falls to the magic weilder." I felt my hand come up to Thor's Hammer around my neck.

"But you're human. How are you going to do that?" Joe asked.

"If I can't then I'll die that night and Colby will go on living. What's one pagan life for a Believer?" I asked knowing that pagans and peace loving Wiccans were the bane of the Church, who still sought to eradicate the existence of Otherworld beings, even when shown that the old pagan beliefs were real, that the gods and goddesses were closer to their people than the Christian god. But still, there was that war that could kill either side from hate.

A hate that I was in the middle of with Colby Lopez, fighting for The Morrigan.

"Believer?" Colby asked as he put his stuff in the rental.

"Honey, it means a Christian. Witches and pagans, we got our gods, but with the way the world is right now, you are risking a lot to aid me in this task." I looked at him apologetically, knowing that there was stigma coming from all around us at all times.

Jon and Joe were willing to go on ahead of us. That meant leaving Colby and I to drive twenty miles north, closer to our destination, closer to our goal. Or closer to our death if that meant anything.

* * *

"Why is everyone I meet calling this thing Bone Cutter?" Colby asked.

"A lot of the Norse give names to their weapons, shields and axes. It gives the weapon power." I said turning down a country road at night, this time heading northeast. "Like Thor's hammer is called Mjolnir. You give something a name, you give it power."

Going to the Moors was a tricky deal. We were in the middle of nowhere, even in the countryside where there weren't a soul to be seen. No really, I didn't even see a fey or anything like that. In the crossroad of two country roads, surrounded by hills and long grass with wild flowers, it was a cold night. We were at the crossroads of our quest.

Colby was standing next to me. My hair was flapping around as I rubbed my Mjolnir pendant. I was trying to think, trying to hope that everything I had found was right and that this would be the last night. Colby didn't say anything as his thumb rubbed the hilt of Bone Cutter, right over the red jewel that was at the center of it. Waiting was hard, like waiting for Death to show up as it were.

"So, what do we do now?" Colby asked. I opened my eyes and turned to look at him. "Do we go looking."

I motioned to around us. "We're at a country crossroad, where Hounds lurk for the souls. We're just waiting on a soul." Glancing behind Colby I nodded. "There's something."

The soul was a silver transparent thing, a woman, that looked to be like one of those old black and white actresses. She was looking down, wearing a long dress and carrying a bouqet of flowers in her hands. Colby went for his sword but I grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"Don't, she isn't a threat yet. I don't even know if she's a soul or something worth worrying about." I said. "Listen, listen very carefully."

Hounds were silent, but you could still hear them. Atwood had told me that you could hear them before you see them. Usually invisible, it still made noise. It will only be seen if it lets you. And I could hear it, I could hear the panting breaths of a beast, a monster that could instill fear into the coldest soul. It's howl could chill the blood in any living person, it was something you do not mess with willingly.

And the howl made Colby cringe, making him involuntarily shiver as the spirit came closer to us. Through the veil she looked up, and I could feel the energy come out of me, like she was sucking everything I had in me. I knew this was something down right wrong. She wasn't a good spirit, a benign spirit that was going to be taken to the Otherworld, she was being hunted because she did something wrong. I couldn't see her face through the silver/white veil but I could see her charcoal black eyes piercing at us. It was like she was oblivious to her fate that night.

"What the hell is going on?" Colby said, coming to stand in front of me, drawing Bone Cutter as the spirit started to advance on us, a little faster than the last.

"That thing was once human, but it isn't now." I said putting my arm out, keeping him back. "It preys on those that are weak, the living I would say, it feeds off their energy, their fear just like it had done when it was alive. Just don't move, don't run at it or away. It doesn't know that we're being hunted."

And I was right.

Just as she was about to come right at us something invisible launched out of the high grass behind us, it's howl and snarl were so loud it could split ear drums. It had jumped us, right over us, the woosh of wind moving our hair as this invisible force, not so invisible to the spirit woman, landed on her. And in the next moment she was on the ground the sound of ripping evident as a large claw mark appeared on her dress. The spirit tried to get up but the invisible Hound had pinned her to the ground. Colby went to get involved but I put my hand on his chest.

"No, this has to happen. She needs to move on from hurting the living." I said. "Wait, watch, learn."

The woman continued to scream, to howl as did the Hound. Finally she just disappeared into a wisp of smoke/fog or what have you, leaving this realm for the next.

"That lead you followed, who were you talking to?" There were giant paw prints in the ground that started to turn towards us.

"It wasn't so much from someone else, but a dream I had of this country lane. Those two signs," I pointed the Hopter Lane and Cope Road signs. "I looked up the location and...just decided to come out here."

"Then what the hell is in front of us?" Colby pulled the sword out, ready to use it on the invisible force that was staring us down.

Instead I came to stand in front of him as this woosh of hot air hit me right in the face. It, the Hound, was standing directly in front of me. Closing my eyes for a moment, I took a deep breath and centered myself, easing my beating heart. Or was that Colby's as the creature started nearing us.

"What are you going to do?" I heard my companion ask.

"I am trying to calm myself, to not be scared. It has already sent a wrong doer to the Otherworld, what's to say it won't try to kill me now."

It, the Hound, slowly started coming into corporeal form. Meaning, we could see it. And it was huge, big, with long teeth, pointed ears and these deathly red eyes. This was a Specral Hound, this was a Hellhound, who would be in a Wild Hunt. I felt my back pressed to Colby's front. Fear still crept into my veins but...what this thing was a killer if we didn't do something, a killer that hunted for lost souls and sent the bad ones to knows where. It was a wild thing, it was not something to idly mess with even on a good night.

"What do we do now?" Colby whispered.

"Well we can't kill it." I responded. "We sort of need it alive."

"How do we get it?"

"I don't know, Rollins." I replied.

Then an idea popped into my head, one big stupid one. I reached out with my right hand, my dominant hand and started inching my way towards it's head.

"What do I call you?" I asked, hand hovering in front of it's head, it's nose letting it smell me. "You remind me of a Warg, you know the dog creature from Lord of the Rings." I said as my hand hovered inchest from the beast's head. "You look like a War Dog."

The Hound made a noise, stepped back from us and then loped off into the night. Now it was just Colby and me in the middle of a country crossroad, alone.

"Okay, what do we do now?" Colby asked as I stepped away from him.

What do we do now, indeed?


	5. Chapter 5

What do we do?

There was one night left and then the next the WWE was heading back to the States. I didn't talk much about it, I didn't want to be around people right now who were telling me that I was foolish for accepting this task and bringing Seth Rollins into it. Getting support from the pagans, my people I guess you could say, Not a lot of people were on my side, except for the pagans and Colby.

I looked up from where I was sitting in the room that was occupied by The Shield. I had to decide what I was going to do but...I couldn't risk Colby's life. I wasn't that kind of person. I reached down, grabbed my backpack and walked out of the room with no one the wiser. I decided that I needed to do this on my own. It was my life at stake and I wasn't going to allow Colby die for me.

The countryside was bright, the field was quiet and I set to work on looking for what I needed. Yes daylight, not a time for Hounds, yes but I needed some advise. From what I saw, there weren't any fey out here, especially now. It was the earliest part of the year, it was cool but not bad considering that there were clouds out.

Feeling someone walking towards me I turned my head to see a god standing there, with a large brimmed hat that covered his left eye. I knew this one, I knew exactly who he was.

"Safest part of the day to be coming out here alone." Odin All Father said as he came to stand in front of me.

He was tall, tall like Thor, but even though he was old but I could still see the muscle that lingered on his arms and in his chest. Old yes, but with age came wisdom. As another deity that I was dedicated to, Odin knew what was at stake for me.

"Your goddess has told me what was going on. You've been able to find a Hound but wasn't able to keep it."

"Yeah, that's right. I was hoping to have done something that night but it didn't."

"You were worried about the safety of Colby Lopez than the task."

"Yeah well, he's so primed to protect me he forgets about his own damn safety." I crossed my arms. "I'm better off on my own. I can't let him risk his life for mine. His is more important than mine."

"Who says that? How is one life more important than another?"

The world had changed so much. The Veil was thin now, things were able to come through, things thought to be myth and legend. Ever since the Otherworld started coming into ours, I'm sure a lot of people had to finally believe what was going on. The start of 2013 was the time that Myth and Legend started coming into life, into our world. It had become our world. My world.

"Because he's famous and I'm not."

"So your life is worth nothing than his?"

"Look, Father, I know it sounds stupid but I didn't want him risking his life. This was supposed to be about me and me alone. I'm surprised that the Prince didn't try to set up a stipulation for him in return. But I'm nothing to a superstar like him, I don't have a career like his, I have been called many bad things because he chose to help me."

"Then it is as much his choice than it is yours."

"I wasn't my choice, Father, it was a bet between Prince Abastor and Morrigan. I had no say in it. Colby is the one that spoke up on my behalf."

Odin stayed silent, contemplating what I had spoken about.

"You walking out like this won't make things better on your consort."

"Okay, first of all, what is with all this consort business."

"A true man, mortal or otherwise, would risk his life for that of a person he cares for." Odin pointed out, turning to look at the picturesque field surrounding us. "He must have liked you before all of this."

"The only reason why I was kept on staff is because of me being a pagan. I am the only one that apparently knows the myth and the legends, nevermind the Irishman. But I'm well versed in mythology, folklore...things like that. If something happens to the WWE then I am the one that would know how to fix it, or find out how to fix it."

"And the world knows of Seth Rollins fighting for the justice of a mortal witch?"

"Yep."

He smiled. "Not everyone, considering those from the otherside of the Veil don't. Of course you wouldn't think of The Morrigan with an account on the Akashic Network." He chuckled at the mere thought. "But you have a following, werewolves from here, there are some vampires who detest Abastor. I wouldn't be surprised if when it comes to battling you and your consort would be the crowd's favorite."

I didn't try to argue. I didn't try to say Colby wasn't my consort. I didn't have the energy to do that anymore.

"After tonight, I don't think he'll be my consort anymore. I can't find a Hound, I can't...I just can't." I looked down at my feet, kicking a few pebbles around.

"You're in favor of the gods, young pagan, My child." He tilted my face up so that I could look at his. "You are capable of doing this. I know you can. But let me ask this...what would the outcome be if Prince Abastor hadn't found a Hound? What if the both of you don't get this task done? Then what?"

Then what? I didn't know.

* * *

I got back to the arena close to evenng time, and I was greeted by Colby in the backstage area. I was talking to my supervisor, signing a piece of paper, my last rights if you will when he showed up.

"What are you doing?" Colby asked looking at me as I handed over the paper and pen to my boss.

"If I loose tonight, I asked that my things get sent to a friend's place." I answered glancing at Colby before trying to walk away.

I tried to walk away, but I couldn't. Colby grabbed my arms and turned me towards him. When I opened my mouth to yell at him again, Colby leaned in and kissed me. It was a split second because I pushed him away, but it felt like nothing I've ever had before. It was a shock, literally and figuratively. I was shocked that he would do that to me. And the touch of his mouth on mine...I wasn't going to admit it then but it felt good.

"What do you think you're doing? You have no right!"

He smiled. "But it felt right, didn't it? I've been wanting to do that for a long time. When I saw what was going on, I knew that I had to do something, to help you. I would never live with myself if I saw anything happen to you."

"Why me? Why me in the first damn place, Colby? I never wanted your attention, I never wanted their attention...my gods, I just wanted to hide in plain sight and just live, breathe, be happy on my own. I have people saying that I am a Satanist, that I am just going to drag you to the depths of Hell all because of this task."

"Do you realize this had nothing to do with you? It was between Morrigan and the Prince." Colby sounded so calm, a tilt of his head kind of reminded me of the pictures of a dog who was thinking.

What was sad, he was right. He was right about this whole thing, much like Odin had been right earlier.

"So what do we do?" I asked before taking a deep breath to calm myself. "Tonight is the night, there isn't any going back."

Tonight was a house show, a late night one. With this being one of the last days of the European tour, the first tour in 2013. The Shield had a match that night, and I knew I was going to be on my own that night. It was decided that the deadline was going to be at dawn on the fourth day. Hounds only came out at night and then they disappear during the day. I was going to have to go out and get the Hound myself tonight.

I stood outside waiting, just waiting. There was a feeling, a feeling that this was where I needed to be. The night was half over, it was still sort of young. Every once in a while I would see things that weren't supposed to be real but was. I saw a small dragon in the air, I saw something lurking in the shadows near one of the busses, with yellow eyes no less. I could see, no I could feel, everything out there. It was like knowing that humans weren't the only people out there. I pushed my fingers into my hair and breathed in the cool night air.

And then he showed up.

"You're without a Hound, I see." Prince Abastor said, standing to my right as I stared at the fullness of the moon.

"I don't see you with one either, Prince." I responded not looking at him.

"So what shall we do about this?"

I shrugged. "What do you think would be good?"

"How about Morrigan keeps my family's dagger and I keep you. We both win." He stated.

"I am not in any position to negotiate with you. You will have to do that with Morrigan, since how she is as much a part of this as we are. Though, facing a Hound last night I would say I am in the lead."

"You faced one, and it didn't kill you?"

I laughed almost bitterly. "Yeah, but it left. I wasn't going to force it to stay. If it wanted to leave then it was going to leave."

"But you won't leave. You will not leave, I'll make sure your place in the palace will be in my bed." He neared me, closer and closer.

I could feel his breath on my cheek, I could feel his body close to mine. And in the next moment, he was gone. Not physically, no, it was more like he got tackled. I found myself looking down at the ground to see Colby on top of the Fey prince, pummling him. Bone Cutter was nearby, probably dropped by Colby when he went to attack Abastor. I dove for the sword, blade and sheath, as Prince Abastor got the upper hand on Colby by punching him in the face. Doing a roll up, Abastor was on top of Colby, punching him in the face.

"Get off of him, you Jackass. I'll run you through with Bone Cutter." I said, holding the sword as if it was a baseball bat. At least I knew how to swing a bat, but this thing had weight to it.

The fey looked up at me, his hand fisted in Colby's shirt.

"I was in baseball growing up, I know how to swing this. I'll take your head off in one swing. Get off him right now."

With the iron sword angled at his throat, Abastor stood up. The show was over, I'm sure, but there were superstars that had seen this happen. I was breathing hard as I knelt next to Colby after Abastor stepped back. There was no way I would let anything happen to Colby now, not when he went to save me. Blood was dribbling from Colby's nose but there was a gash over Abastor's eye that was bleeding pretty badly.

"A woman shouldn't carry a sword." Abastor said.

"This is a new era, jackass." I responded. "Women are not treated like property, women can fight men, fight along side of them. There is nothing better in this life than knowing that a woman can do what a man can, even in heels. And may I make a suggestion. Let see what Morrigan has to say about this."

"Aye, my child. I would like to have a say in this." My goddesses voice sounded as she walked out of the shadows that surrounded the poorly lit parking lot. "And I have decided that in deed women are stronger now than they were, aside from my other child Boudicca, the Iceni queen. But tradition dictates that to win the hand of a woman wanted by two males is to have a combat."

Colby stood next to me, I could see Jon and Joe behind us, still in their Shield outfits. It was now obvious to me that Colby was in his Shield gear as well. And it was also obvious that there was a WWE cameramam filming the exchange of words.

"Then I accept." Colby said. "I will fight for her, for the justice he deserve." I knew Colby had seen the cameraman. "Right here, right now."

"Since the Prince is without a weapon and you, Seth Rollins, are a real fighter, you will go ancient in fighting. Just your hands and your body. How do you say, to a count of ten if one of you don't get up at the count of ten then the one standing is the winner. No rules is the rule. The boundaries include this parking lot borders."

"A jest fight." Abastor said wiping at his face.

"A last man standing match, that I can do." I looked at Colby when he spoke.

Suddenly there was a rumble. A sudden rush of beings passing through the veil could be felt even by the humans. A rush of gods, deities, beings that roamed freely now. They all came forward, from all over Europe, even the big eight of Olympus, and the rest of them. Heracles was there, Cuchulain the Irish hero, was there as well. Norse and Egyptians were there as well, of course you could see Thor taking bets. That was in his nature, the fool hearty man, I mean god. Cernunnos was there with his hounds of white and their ears red. These were different from the Hounds that rode in other Hunts, the black ones. White Hounds were of divine powers, more favored amongst the gods.

"The Wild Hunter himself." I spoke in awe. "He leads The Great Wild Hunt, the one that goes from Halloween to the spring equinox. All the minor ones follow his command."

"He's going to take the soul of the looser." Morrigan said as she kept an eye on Abastor, who was speaking with his father, a king from Scotland of the Unseelie court. "If one of them dies at least."

Colby was going towards the fighting field and I shoved the hilt of the sword in Jon's hand before running out towards my so-called consort.

"Seth!" It's kind of strange to do that in front of a cameraman, kissing him like that, calling him by his ring name. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him towards me, planting a kiss on his mouth in front of everyone in attendance. I didn't care, he would loose his life and it was for me. "Don't be a Man-Stupid tonight. I can't...I don't want you to loose your life over me."

"I've decided that I'm going to fight for everything for you." He dug his fingers into my hair, placing a kiss on my forehead. "You have to believe in me."

I reached around to the back of my neck and pulled slightly, loosing the strap to my Mjolnir hammer. "I know you're a Believer, but in the olden days, fights like this, women gave gifts to their favorite warriors. Kind of like good luck items. Wear this for me, please."

He nodded, tucking it inside his shirt and his vest. "For you, I will."

Forcing myself to turn and walk off the battle field, I knew that it was going to be a hard fought battle for Colby. I took my place with Jon and Joe, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Protectively, Ambrose put an arm around my shoulder when Abastor neared our side of the battle field, sneering at me.

"Place your bets, boys." I heard Thor's voice roar as he stood amongst some of the Greek gods. "Loki, Set, what do you wager in tonights fight?" He asked.

Loki was considered a trickster god of the Norse, Set was the god of Chaos of the Egyptians, both friends from what I gathered.

"I came to watch this man that uses my name." Set replied, glancing at the giant redhead Norse god. "I want to see how well he fights in real life."

"Shame, the pot is mainly going towards Rollins as it is."

"Well in that case..."


End file.
